Old Louisville
'Old Louisville '''is a Historic district in central Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is the third largest such district in the United States, and the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture. It is also unique in that a majority of its structures are made of brick, and the neighborhood contains the highest concentration of residential homes with stained glass windows in the United States. Many of the buildings are in the Victorian-era styles of Romanesque, Queen Anne, Italianate, among others, and a large number of blocks have had few or no buildings razed. There are also several 20th-century buildings from 15 to 20 stories. Despite its name, Old Louisville was actually built as a suburb of Louisville starting in the 1870s, nearly a century after Louisville was founded. It was initially called the ''Southern Extension, and the name Old Louisville did not come until the 1960s. Old Louisville was initially home to some of Louisville's wealthiest residents, but saw a decline in the early and mid-20th century. Following revitalization efforts and gentrification, Old Louisville is currently home to a diverse population with a high concentration of students and young professionals. Architecture Old Louisville is well known for its architecture, with styles ranging from Federal architecture to Queen Anne. Very few antebellum buildings remain, and the most impressive buildings were built in the late 19th century. There are a few Italianate, Beaux-Arts architecture, and Second Empire-style houses, but Victorian styles dominate. Victorian Gothic styles are also common. Many styles in Old Louisville are united by their use of red sandstone trim, which became popular by the 1880s to the point that the Courier-Journal said "few new residences are going up in Louisville in which it is not being used". Another common Victorian style is the Richardsonian. Aside from the best represented styles of architecture listed above, Old Louisville also has several great examples of the Chateauesque style of architecture in select buildings throughout the area. For example, one of these examples is a residential building, a mansion, at 400 Belgravia Court, which is a "walking court" where the mansions face a park like walk rather than a street. This specific building was completed in 1897 and one of its first residents was William H. Wathen, M.D., an eminent medical educator in Louisville from a family of successful distillers. Although some portions have been razed, many entire blocks remain almost untouched, and historian Theodore M. Brown said "it remains the only nineteenth-century segment of the city that is mostly intact". As infills, some American Craftsman style houses can be found in Old Louisville.Brown & Bidwell, 15-17 Images Image:Two story house on 6th Old Louisville.jpg|A two-story house on 6th Street Image:Hansel and Gretel House on 6th Street, Old Louisville.jpg|Locally dubbed the "Hansel and Gretel House", this home on 6th Street is believed to be sided with the original roofing from the Southern Exposition Building. It was opened as a center for disadvantaged women and children Image:Pair of shotgun houses, Old Louisville.jpg|Shotgun houses on Myrtle Street Image:THoytGambleHouse.JPG|T. Hoyt Gamble House in the 100 West block of Ormsby Ave Image:St. James Court's Pink Palace.jpg|St. James Court's "Pink Palace" Notable houses * Bayly-Schroering House * Cornwall and Brown Houses * William J. Dodd Residence * Landward House * Dr. J.B. Marvin House * Porter-Todd House * Rauchfuss Houses * Tompkins-Buchanan House Rumors and legends Old Louisville is rumored to be one of the most haunted neighborhoods in the United States.Archer, Meg. "These 8 Haunted Places In Louisville Will Send Chills Down Your Spine". Only In Your State. References Category:Neighborhoods in Louisville, Kentucky Category:Local preservation districts in Louisville, Kentucky Category:National Register of Historic Places in Louisville, Kentucky Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Kentucky Category:Reportedly haunted locations Category:19th century Category:Modern history